The Washington critic., 1887-12-16
RICHARD II. SYLVESTER. ........ Editor
WASHINGTON. DEC. 16. 1887.
RoLLING.MILL POLITICS.

4 dispatch from Joliet. ILL.,, of Decem-
issued to shut down the rolling-mills at
that place indefinitely. the order to take
effect December % and the 1000 men
employed to be permanently dis
charged. As the payroll a the conf
pany amounts to about S1OO, 600 Il month,
this action, it is stated, will be severe
blow to the interests of the town as well
as great hardship to the employees.
The dispatch then proceeds to explain
matters in this wise:
The superintendent gives as his reason for
closing the works that there was n depression in
the steel rail market and u lack Of orders. lie
also gave in an interview with II local paper
here us reason that the Presidents Message
and the attitude of Congress OH the tariff qucs-
tlon unsettled the industry so that prices on con
tracts for 1883 delivery could not he made with
any certainty as to what the market price would
be. and that with this uncertainty no orders
could safely be contracted for, II they were to
he had. The company Is n very wealthy one,
and II Is one of the most solid industrial nsttu.
tlons In every respect In the country.
This was December IL. The very
next day the following dispatch was
wired from Philadelphia to the Boston
Herald:
The inquiries for steel rails in Pennsylvania
mills for the last week call for about 100000
tons. and on about one.half of this amount
$50. 80 to s:1 80 has been offered; bottom ask
ing price, 500. All other branches Of the iron
tr0dc are more active than is to be expected ut
this season Of the year. Numerous inquiries arc
In hand for bar iron from carbnllders and others,
and heavy January trade Is expected. The
locomotive works, cur works, bridge works and
multitude of smaller industrial establishments
arc all crowded with work, and very good
feeling prevails. Under the present policy OF
railroad managers in the West and south to
make liberal expenditures for equipments and
improvements, 1t is expected that there will be a
steady demand for all kinds Of railway supplies.
How are we to reconcile these obvious
contraricties in the situation?
1t is certainly an extraordinary con-
dition Of affairs that while good feel
ing prevails in Pennsylvania and Il
heavy January trade is expected, and
all signs point TO steady demand for
railway supplies, the same line of bust
ness out in Illinois should be scared
into suspension, and one Of the wealth.
lest corporations in the country close its
mills on the ground that no contracts fol
1855 can be safely taken.
How does it happen that the Prcsi
dents Message "unsettlcs an industry
in one State, which in spite of the atti
tudc Of the Administration on the tariff
question is booming in another? AS
suming that both statements are true
how will the political economists ac
count for their incongruity.
1t would naturally be supposed tha
the paralyzing effect Of the Messag,
would first be felt in Pennsylvania, o
II would be more reasonable, perhaps, t,
suppose that if there were any paralysis
in it the shock would be felt simulta
ncously in all the rolling-mill States
But II seems not. The trade that ha
come to n standstill in one section i
forging ahead at more rapid pace il
the other.
We are inclined to think that the pol
tcians know more about this thing tha
nc political economists do, and tina
owing to some hitch or blunder in tn
programme the crisis ut Joliet was pre-
maturcly prccipitatcd. Our high-tari
friends, who have undertaken to beo
Cleveland on the revenue reform ISSUE
should come 10 some better mde
standing among themselves. The Joli,
end Of the line is altogether out of tm
with the Philadelphia end of the lin,
They shouldn't shut down one rollin,
mill until they are ready TO shut 'em Il
down. As the matter now stands
nuts them in rather an awkward pr
dicament.